Lobenzo fulton



PATENIED JULY 21, 1868.

L. FULTON.

LOW WATER INDICATOR FOR STEAM GENERATORS.

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grziirh tastes getter @33 Letters Pa e; n; 80,162, dated Joly 21,1863. 5

IMPROVEMENT IN' LOW-WATER INDICATORS FOR STEAM-GENERATORS.

dil Stigrtule rtfcrreh to iii-these 32am fitted ant matingpart of it: same.-

TO ALL WHOM'..IT'MAY CONCERN: 4

Be it known thatl, LORENVZO FULTON, of iEdiriburgyin the county'of'Johnson, and State of Indiana, have invented a new and improved Low-Water Reporter; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the samc, suflicient to enable others skilled in the art to which my-i'nve'ntion appertainsto fully understand and use it, reference bein ghacl to'the= accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, and in whi ch I i i Figure l is a longitudinal vertical section? Figure 2'is a top view; I

4 Theobject'ot' this invention is to furnish a simple, cheap, andaccurately-operat'ing device, which will indicate the fall of the water below its proper and sai'elevel in the boiler, and which will also indicate the careonin g of the boat tosuch a degree as to improperly heat the sides of the boiler, and which, besid'eseounding an 'alarm at the time,- wi llcorrectly record the fact that an alarm was given, by means of dial, index, and marking-pencil. I i

In the drawings, A indicates a steam-pipe, B, an oflset-rpipe from it, closed by a valve, 12, seating upward;

Q, a water-space, around the end of the steam-pipe A, connected by a. b' ent tube, D, with a vessel, E, in the I upper end 0! which ispiston, F; G, the piston-rod or stem; H, a lever, operatedby the piston-rod; I, the fulcrum of the lever H; J, the dial-plate,- having graduated and numbered circle around its edge; K, an index, supported by. a spindle, L, and operated by the'lerer H, by means of a ratchet-wheel, m, on the spindle behind the dial-plate, and a short jointed dog or tooth, n, hinged to the end of lever H, and pressing against the teeth of the ratchet, whenever the piston-rod G is thrown up far enough to raise the outer end of the lever, in such a manner as to turn the ratchet, spindle, and index one degree of the dial. 'The index'is also provided with a socket, 0, which holds. a pencil, p, the end of which presses on the diiil, tracing a'mark thereon whenever the in lexhnnd is moved. R isa tube, covered by a screw-cap or plug, 1, for the purpose of filling the space C, pipe D, and vessel E with water. 4 I

The main portion of the vessel E is provided with glass walls or windows'e e, through which the condition of thewiiter-within can he observcdnt a glance by the engineer. These walls may be supported by standards e e, of brass.

The piston doos not come down in contact with the water, but seats upon nn annular -ledge,rs, so as to leave a steam-space under it, between it and the water.

The stem of valve b is attached to the lever H, on the side of the fulcrum opposite to that on which the piston opcra'tcs, so that as the piston raises the long-er arm of the lever H, it opens the valve'b, and allows the steam in pipe A to escape through the branch-pipe B to a whistle, and thus to sound the alarm.

This appnrntus, thus constructed, I attach either to the boiler orvto n steam-pipe, which connects with the different boilers, when more than one are c'inpl'oycd.

The rod lines of fig. 1 represent theboilers of a steamboat, arranged longitudinally with the bent, and. each connected-by a short pipe with the main pipe, into which the end of the'tube A screws. The short pipes pass down through theshcl'l of the boilers, terminatingjust below low-water mark, so that if the water falls to a dangerous level, or if the boat carcens so as to throw the water down to one side of the boiler, and allow the other side to become red hot, and thereby render an explosion imminent, the water will sink below. the end of the tubes, and the superheated steam will'pnssinto them, and through them to the tube A. As soon as it fille this tube, it will cause the water in the space C to hoil,-the steam-from which will raise piston F and layer H, and'thcrehy depress the valve b, and sound the alarm.

At the same time that the alarm is sounded, the movement ot'levor H throws the end of thedog n forward against the tooth of the ratchet, and turns the latter forward one degree, which movement of the index will be traced by the pencil p upon the dial. i i

It is my design to carry the pipe B fromthe instrument above described 'to the cahin,.otficere' state-rooms,

or engineer's room, and allow it blow off, onsound a whistle there, so' that tile efiicers of the vessel shall become et once ncquainted irith the fact that the boat must be trimmed immediately to prevent an explosion.

The lever H may be provided with c. handle, 71, so that it can, if necessary, be operated-by hand. The

piston'rod passes through a slotin the lever, and moves the letter by means of a small pin-or shoulder, g, which comes against the under-edge of. the lever, and lifts it when-the piston itself is raised sufliciently.

The dial is enclosed in a. suitable case J, which oanbe opened for the purpose of removing the paper plate or tablet oh which the pencil marks, or for the purpose of removing or sharpening the pencil itself. v

In order to hold the hand'K steady, a, spring, it, may be made to press against the ratchet m behind, so as to moire it move with considerable friction.

Thewhole instrument is' simple, and can bemanufactured and applied at a. very moderate cost. Its operation is certain and accurate, ihvarinbly conveying instant and correct intelligence of the dangerous condition of the-boilers;

Having thus described iny invention, what I claim as new, end desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1-, The combination, with a low-water indicator, or any equivalent therefor, of a marker, of any suitable form, and recording-plate, or its 'equivalent, when oil combined and arranged together, substantially us and for the purpose described. I i

- 2. The combination of the dial J,'in 'dex K,'pencil p, pawl 12., and ratchet-wheel m, whereby to register suceessivelythooccnrrence of on inadequate-amount of'wnter in the steam-generator, substantially as set forth.

8. The'combination of the pipes 11 end B with the valve 6, water-space Q, pipe D, vessel E, pistonF, rod G, lever H, p'owl n, ratchet-wheeler, index K, end dinl J, substantially as described. s

4. The combination of the vessel 'E, having the ledge S, and the glass walls e a, with the piston F, substantially as described.

LORENZO FULTON.

' Witnesses;

SOLON C. KEMON, Cans. A. Penn. 

